Louis Mountbatten (25 Jun. 1900 - 27 Aug. 1949)
Louis Mountbatten came into active service at the beginning of the war, commanding the 5th Destroyer Flotilla. His ship was sunk during the Battle of Crete in 1941, and he became captain of HMS Illustrious in August. In Octover he was applointed as Chief of Combined Operations, planning raids across the English Channel, and was responsible for the St. Nazaire raid in 1942, and for the unfortunate Dieppe raid in August.
Mountbatten achieved the construction of the underwater oil pipeline from England to France, which helped with the logistics of the D-Day Landings, as well as the construction of huge artificial harbours. Another brainchild was the Pykrete aircraft carrier, Project Habakkuk, though this never achieved fruition.
In October of 1943, Mountbatten became Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command, which he would hold until 1946. During this time he saw the recapture of Burma and the Japanese surrender in Singapore. His ideas, considered eccentric by some of his peers, were less used here than they were during his previous post, although some did gain the attention of the Prime Minster and War Cabinet.
For more information on Louis Mountbatten:
Ziegler, Philip. Mountbatten: The Official Biography (London: Phoenix), 2001.
Mountbatten achieved the construction of the underwater oil pipeline from England to France, which helped with the logistics of the D-Day Landings, as well as the construction of huge artificial harbours. Another brainchild was the Pykrete aircraft carrier, Project Habakkuk, though this never achieved fruition.
In October of 1943, Mountbatten became Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command, which he would hold until 1946. During this time he saw the recapture of Burma and the Japanese surrender in Singapore. His ideas, considered eccentric by some of his peers, were less used here than they were during his previous post, although some did gain the attention of the Prime Minster and War Cabinet.
For more information on Louis Mountbatten:
Ziegler, Philip. Mountbatten: The Official Biography (London: Phoenix), 2001.